Jacob and Joseph Die in Egypt – Lesson Twenty-One
Jacob and Joseph Die in Egypt
Genesis 48, 49, and 50
Lesson 21
Chapter 48
Verses 1-7 Joseph takes Ephraim and Manasseh to see Jacob when he is ill. Jacob tells of the promises God made to him at Luz. He claims Ephraim and Manasseh as his sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are his sons. But future sons of Joseph will belong to Joseph. Manasseh and Ephraim will inherit and Joseph’s sons will fall into these two “tribes”.
Jacob remembers having to bury Rachel in Ephrath (Bethlehem).
Verses 8-22 Israel blesses Joseph’s sons. Israel’s vision is not good, due to his old age. He expresses joy at not only seeing Joseph, but his children as well. Joseph situated Ephraim on Israel’s left and Manasseh on his right (because Manasseh was older). But Israel switched his right hand to Ephraim and his left to Manasseh, and then he blessed the boys.
Joseph is upset by the mix up and attempts to correct his father. Jacob acknowledges this, but says that Ephraim will be a greater people. So Ephraim was put before Manasseh. He tells Joseph that he is about to die, and that he is giving Joseph an extra portion of the things he fought to take away from the Amorites.
Chapter 49
Verses 1-27 Jacob blesses, or prophecies, about the other brothers.
Reuben – even though the eldest, he will not have preeminence because of his actions against his father.
Simeon and Levi – because of their anger, they will be disperses among the other brothers.
Judah – brothers will bow to him, kings will come from him forever.
Zebulun – his people will be of the sea
Issachar – will enslave himself to stay in a land rather than moving on
Dan – will be a judge, a protector of the family
Gad – will be at war, raiding and being raided
Asher – a source of rich foods
Naphtali – a source of poetry
Joseph – showed strength found in God, the others are blessed because of him
Benjamin – a fierce warrior
Verses 28-33 Jacob again asks to be buried with his fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, which Abraham bought, where Abraham and Sarah are buried, Isaac and Rebekah and Leah are buried. After this, he died.
Chapter 50
Verses 1-3 Joseph mourned his father, and then ordered that the Egyptians embalm Jacob. This took 40 days to accomplish. The Egyptians wept 70 days for Jacob.
Verses 4-14 After the days of mourning, Joseph requested of Pharaoh that he be allowed to bury his father in Canaan and Joseph would return after. Pharaoh agreed.
A very great company of Israel’s people and Egyptians went to bury Jacob.
When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, beyond Jordan, the company stopped and mourned for Jacob for 7 days. So loud was the mourning that the Canaanites noticed and renamed the place Abel-mizraim (this means “Mourning of Egypt). So Jacob’s sons did as he requested. They buried him in the cave at Mamre. Then they returned to Egypt.
Verses 15-21 Joseph’s brothers fear what Joseph will do now that their father is dead. But Joseph reminds them that this was all God at work. Joseph tells them he will keep his promise to care for them all.
Verses 22-26 Joseph lived to 110 years old. He knew God would keep His promise to give the land to the descendants of Abraham. He made his brothers swear to take his bones with them when they went. Joseph died, was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
In Your Bible – Joshua 24:32
Psalm 81:5
Psalm 105:17
Hebrews 11:21-22
Acts 7:8-16
Deuteronomy 11:6
Deuteronomy 33:6, 22, 24
Joshua 4:12
Joshua 18:7
Joshua 19:9
1 Chronicles 12:32
Judges 1:34
Luke 2:36
Enjoy!
